Personal portable terminal for performing board game, and board game system using same and game board therefor

ABSTRACT

The present invention board relates to a game system using a portable terminals and a game board therefor. According to the present invention, there is provided a board game system, including: one or more pieces configured to correspond to respective game players; a game board configured to display a path through which the pieces move, and to detect a changed location of each of the pieces on the path; and one or more personal portable terminals each configured to check the changed location of the piece detected by the game board while communicating with the game board, and to output information about operations, which will be performed by each of the game players, or options, which can be selected by each of the game players based on a location of one of the pieces corresponding to each of the game players.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a personal portable terminal for performing a board game, and a board game system using the same and a game board therefor, and more particularly to a personal portable terminal for performing a board game, which enables a complex game requiring a large amount of computation to be easily played, and a board game system using the same and a game board therefor.

BACKGROUND ART

A variety of board games are being developed and played by users. However, conventional board games do not generally include a computation device as their component, and thus have a problem in that it is difficult to play the conventional board games by using a game method requiring complex computation or a game method requiring the application of various variables. Games requiring a large amount of computation have inconvenience in that players compute game-related elements personally by using memo paper.

Accordingly, in the design of board games, the range of games that can be implemented by taking into account the amount of computation is limited.

Korean Utility Model Application Publication No. 20-2011-0005519 discloses a board game set. However, according to this board game set, users must directly manage various game elements, individual players must compute game results attributable to the acquisition and loss of game elements of the individual players in cooperation with each other. Accordingly, problems arise in that the speed of the progress of a game is slow and the progress of the game is not accurate.

Therefore, there is a demand for a technology that is capable of overcoming the above-described problems.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present invention is intended to provide a personal portable terminal capable of implementing a game method requiring a large amount of computation or the application of various variables, and a board game system using the same and a game board therefor.

Furthermore, the present invention is intended to provide a personal portable terminal capable of smoothly and rapidly performing a board game, and a board game system using the same and a game board therefor.

Moreover, the present, invention is intended to provide a personal portable terminal capable of accurately determining game progress context and game results, and a board game system using the same and a game board therefor.

Technical Solution

The present invention board relates to a game system using a personal portable terminal and a game board therefor.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a board game system, including: one or more pieces configured to correspond to respective game players; a game board configured to display a path through which the pieces move, and to detect the changed location of each of the pieces on the path; and one or more personal portable terminals each configured to check the changed location of the piece detected by the game board while communicating with the game board, and to output information about operations, which will be performed by each of the game players, or options, which can be selected by each of the game players based on the location of one of the pieces corresponding to each of the game players.

Furthermore, there is provided a game board for progressing a board game while communicating one or more personal portable terminals, the game board including: a path display unit configured to divide a path of a piece, corresponding to each player who participates in a board game by using a personal portable terminal, into a plurality of successive sections, and to provide the successive sections; a location detection unit configured to detect the location of the piece on the path display unit on a per section basis; and a transmission and reception unit configured to transfer information about the location of the piece, detected by the location detection unit, to the one or more personal portable terminals.

Moreover, there is provided a personal portable terminal for performing a board game while communicating with a game board for detecting changing locations of pieces of respectively players, the personal portable terminal including: a first communication unit configured to receive information about the location of the piece of a player corresponding to the personal portable terminal from the game board; an interface unit configured to output information about operations, which will be performed by the player, or options, which can be selected by the player, based on the location of the piece of the player corresponding to the personal portable terminal; and a computation unit configured to compute game progress context based on the location of the piece of the player which corresponds to the personal portable terminal, or based on one of the options, provided in accordance with the location of the piece, which is selected via the interface unit.

Advantageous Effects

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can provide a personal portable terminal capable of implementing a game method requiring a large amount of computation or the application of various variables, and a board game system using the same, and a game board therefor.

Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can provide a personal portable terminal capable of smoothly and rapidly performing a board game, and a board game system using the same and a game board therefor.

Moreover, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can provide a personal portable terminal capable of accurately determining game progress context and game results, and a board game system using the same and a game board therefor.

In particular, the present invention can provide a personal portable terminal capable of implementing a game requiring complex computation, such as an economics learning game adapted to enable the flow of macroeconomics or the meanings and effects of economic indicators to be learned, and a board game system using the same and a game board therefor.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a personal portable terminal included in a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a game board included in a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

In the following description, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those having ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily practice the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms, and are not limited to the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, portions unrelated to descriptions are omitted in the drawings in order to clearly describe the present invention, and the same or similar reference symbols are assigned to the same or similar components throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification and the claims, when a part is described as being “connected” to another part, this includes not only a case where they are “directly connected” to each other but also a case where they are “electrically connected” to each other with another component interposed therebetween. Furthermore, when a part is described as including a component, this means that another component is not excluded but may be included, unless particularly described to the contrary.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a personal portable terminal included in a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a block diagram, illustrating the configuration of a game board included in a game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a game system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes one or more personal portable terminals first. Each of the personal portable terminals may be implemented using a computer, a portable terminal, a television, or a wearable device that can access a remote server or be connected to another terminal and a server over a network N. In this case, the computer includes, for example, a notebook, a desktop, and a laptop each equipped with a web browser. The portable terminal is, for example, a wireless communication, device capable of guaranteeing portability and mobility, and may include all types of handheld wireless communication devices, such as a Personal Communication System (PCS) terminal, a Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) terminal, a Personal Handyphone System (PHS) terminal, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) terminal, an International Mobile Telecommunication (IMP)-2000 terminal, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)-2000 terminal, a W-Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) terminal, a Wireless Broadband (Wibro) Internet terminal, a smartphone, a Mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (mobile WiMAX) terminal, etc. Furthermore, the television may include an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), an Internet Television (Internet TV) , a terrestrial TV, a cable TV, etc. Moreover, the wearable device is an information processing device of a type that can be directly worn on a human body, such as a watch, glasses, an accessory, clothing, shoes, or the like, and can access a remote server or be connected to another terminal directly or via another information processing device over a network. Meanwhile, the network N may be implemented using one or more of all types of wired/wireless networks, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Value Added Network (VAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a mobile radio communication network, the Wireless Broadband (Wibro) Internet, a Mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (mobile WiMAX) network, a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) network, a satellite communication network, etc.

In this case, the game system 100 may include a number of personal portable terminals corresponding to the minimum number of players required for the play of a game. Furthermore, a board game application designed to progress a game according to a game scenario while communicating with a game board is installed on each of the personal portable terminals 10.

Each of the above-described personal portable terminals receives data related to the progress of the game from the game board to be described later while communicating with the game board 20, computes the results of the current progress of the game, and displays the computed results of the progress of the game to a user. The configuration of the personal portable terminal will be described in greater detail later.

Meanwhile, the game system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the game board 20. The game board is a board that is a background where operations required for the progress of the board game are performed. According to the present invention, the game board includes a control means. This will be described with reference to FIG. 3 later.

Furthermore, the game system may include a number of

pieces T corresponding to the number of personal portable terminals 10. Each of the pieces T may include a wireless tag in which distinct identification information has been recorded. Furthermore, in an embodiment, each of the pieces T may include a battery configured to supply power and a lighting device, such as an LED or the like. Each of the pieces T may be matched to each of the personal portable terminals according to the selection of the board game application that is executed on the personal portable terminal 10.

Furthermore, the game system 100 may selectively include a plurality of chips and/or cards (hereinafter referred to as “chips C”). The plurality of chips C may correspond to a plurality of respective different events or game money that are applied to the game. For example, when a player selects any one from among the plurality of chips C, any one of a plurality of preset events may be applied to the game. For this purpose, each of the chips C may include a wireless tag in which unique identification information corresponding to each of the events has been recorded. Furthermore, when the personal portable terminal or game board reads the identification information corresponding to the event from the wireless tag, the event corresponding to the read identification information may be applied to the game.

Alternatively, when the plurality of chips C are configured to correspond to game money, each of the chips C may includes a wireless tag in which data on the value of corresponding game money has been recorded. Furthermore, the personal portable terminal or game board may read the value recorded in the wireless tag, and may converts the read value into the value of the game money. For example, when the game board recognizes chips C corresponding to game money, it may be determined that game money having a value corresponding to the recognized chips C is not possessed by a player. In contrast, when any one of the personal portable terminals recognizes one or more chips C, it may be determined that the sum of the values recorded in the wireless tags of all the recognized chips C is the value of game money that is currently possessed by a player corresponding to the corresponding personal portable terminal 10.

The chips C may be classified into two or more types. Some of the chips C may be chips C related to specific events, and some of the chips C may be chips C related to game money or other possessions (which are symbolized by real estate or buildings, can be converted into predetermined values, and are game elements that can be competitively possessed by individual players) in the game.

Furthermore, the game system 100 may selectively include a number of cradles H corresponding to the number of players. Each of the personal portable terminals is seated on each of the cradles H, and a space in which one or more chips C possessed or selected by a corresponding player are accommodated may be provided in each of the cradles H.

It will be apparent that various components additionally required for the performance of the board game may be further included in the game system.

Meanwhile, the embodiment of the present invention may selectively further include a game server 30. The game server 30 may be additionally included in order to generally store and manage the game data of a single unit system including a single game board and a plurality of personal portable terminals 10. In this case, the plurality of personal portable terminals may receive and update game data by accessing the server over the network N. In this case, the personal portable terminals may also transfer current game context data, received from the game board 20, to the game server 30. However, in an embodiment, the game board may communicate with the game server 30 without intervention of the personal portable terminal 10.

The more detailed configuration of each of the personal portable terminals included in the game system 100 will be described below.

The personal portable terminal may include an interface unit 11. The interface unit 11 may be configured as an input and output means that, between a player, who uses the personal portable terminal 10, and the personal portable terminal 10, transfer an input or a command of the player to the personal portable terminal and output the results of corresponding computation or processing to the player of the personal portable terminal 10. The interface unit 11 may be configured as a touch screen as an example. Accordingly, the player may execute the board game application and check corresponding results on a screen by using the interface unit 11.

The personal portable terminal further includes a first communication unit 12. The first communication unit 12 is a means that exchanges data with the game board 20. The first communication unit 12 may receive data on current game process context transmitted by the game board 20, and may transfer a command of the player, input or selected by the personal portable terminal 10, to the game board 20.

In particular, the first communication, unit 12 may receive the board identification information of the game board 20, and may transfer the board identification information of the game board to the game server 30 via a second communication unit 14 to be described later. Accordingly, the game server 30 may recognize the plurality of personal portable terminals 10, having transferred the same board identification information to the game server 30 in the same time span, as a single game group, may integrate data on game progress context, and may perform computation. That is, when two personal portable terminals access the game server 30 by using board identification information, the game server 30 may recognize the two personal portable terminals as a single game group of personal portable terminals that play the game together by using the single game board 20. Accordingly, the game server 30 may transfer data, input or processed by one of the personal portable terminals 10, to the other personal portable terminal 10, thereby enabling a plurality of players to be aware of overall game progress context into which individual game progress contexts have been incorporated.

The first communication unit 12 may be implemented as, for example, a USB communication module and a cable in the case of communicating with the game board via a wired connection, and may be implemented as, for example, a Bluetooth module, a ZigBee module, or a wireless LAN module in the case of communicating with game board via a wireless connection.

Furthermore, the personal portable terminal 10 includes a computation unit 13. The computation unit 13 may compute the results of the progress of a game based on the movement of the location of the piece T of each player and the movement of the location of each chip C (information about a player who possesses each chip C), transferred from the game board 20, in real time. For example, when the location of the piece T of the first player is changed from a first location to a second location, the computation unit 13 outputs information about options, which can be selected by the first player at the second location, or operations, which can be performed by the first player at the second location, via the interface unit 11. When one of the options is selected, the computation unit 13 may compute a change to game progress context attributable to the selection. Furthermore, for example, when a recognition unit 16 to be described later recognizes a chip C corresponding to the event “casting a die one more time,” the computation unit 13 may continuously wait for the reception of a signal indicative of a change in the location of a piece T, corresponding to a first player, from the game board from the time at which the chip C corresponding to the corresponding event was recognized, and may output a notice commanding the first player to perform the corresponding event via the interface unit 11 when the signal has not been received. Furthermore, when the recognition unit 16 additionally recognizes one or more chips C corresponding to one million won's worth of value, the computation unit 13 may add one million won to the assets of the first player. Meanwhile, when recognized one or more chips C corresponding to five hundred thousand won's worth of value are not recognized any longer or the corresponding chips C are finally recognized in another personal portable terminal or game board 20, the computation unit 13 may deduct five hundred thousand won from the assets of the first player.

Furthermore, the computation unit 13 may receive a selection of a piece from a player via the interface unit 11 or recognize a wireless tag contained in a piece T, selected by a player, by using the recognition unit 16 to be described later in order to match the piece T to the personal portable terminal 10, and may match the player to the piece T accordingly.

Furthermore, the computation unit 13 may manage one or more variables, which may influence game progress context or results, while varying them according to previous settings in real time. Furthermore, when an event related to each of the variables occurs, the computation unit 13 may compute the results of performance of the corresponding event by using the variable. As an example, when the piece of a first player moves to a specific section and thus an “exchange” operation corresponding to the corresponding section needs to be performed, the computation unit 13 may enable exchange by applying the managed variable “exchange rate.” Accordingly, the player may experience an exchange profit or loss in some cases. As described above, the computation unit 13 may manage one or more variables, and may incorporate them into the results of the progress of the game.

Meanwhile, the personal portable terminal may include the second communication unit 14. The second communication unit 14 performs exchange of data between the personal portable terminal and the game server 30. The second communication unit 14 may receive the computation results of another personal portable terminal 10, recognized as belonging to a single game group, through the relay of the game server 30, and may transmit the computation results of the corresponding personal portable terminal to the game server 30. In this case, the second communication unit 14 may transfer the computation results of the game board 20, received by the personal portable terminal from the game board 20, to the game server 30.

Furthermore, the personal portable terminal may include a memory unit 15. The memory unit may record the computation results of the computation unit 13 and the computation results of the game board in real time.

Furthermore, the personal portable terminal may include the recognition unit 16. The recognition unit 16 may function to recognize a wireless tag contained in a chip C selected or possessed by a player. Accordingly, the computation unit may recognize the type of event, game money, or the value of other game assets corresponding to the recognized wireless tag.

The recognition unit 16 may be, for example, an RFID reader or NFC module capable of recognizing a wireless tag.

The more detailed configuration of the game board 20 included in the game system 100 will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 3, the game board may include an input unit 21 configured to transfer a command of a player to the game board 20. Players may turn on and off the power of the game board or start a new game via the input unit 21.

Furthermore, the game board includes a power supply unit 22. The power supply unit 22 may receive external power and supply the external power to components to be described, or may supply power, stored in an internal battery, to components. When a power application command is received from the above-described input unit 21, the power supply unit 22 may supply power to internal components.

Furthermore, the game board includes a control unit 23. The control unit 23 may operate using the power supplied by the power supply unit 22, may execute a game program previously stored in a storage unit 24 to be described later, and may perform a game according to a scenario, defined in the game program, in a stepwise manner.

In this case, the control unit 23 may detect a plurality of personal portable terminals according to an embodiment, and may register the personal portable terminals as the players of a game being currently performed. For example, the control unit 23 may register a specific smartphone as a first player through the communication of the corresponding smartphone, and may register another smartphone as a second player.

Furthermore, in an embodiment, the control unit 23 may manage the above-described “variable” and incorporate the above-described “variable” into the computation of the results of the progress of a game in place of the computation unit 13 of the personal portable terminal 10.

Furthermore, the game board may include a transmission and reception unit 25. The transmission and reception unit may simultaneously or sequentially communicate with the individual personal portable terminals as a communication module. For example, the transmission and reception unit may communicate with the personal portable terminals by using a Bluetooth, ZigBee, or wireless LAN method. When a game is initiated, first the transmission and reception unit may recognize a connection with each of the personal portable terminals 10 and may provide notification of the connection to the control unit 23, thereby enabling the personal portable terminal to be registered as a player. Furthermore, during the play of the game, at the game play turn of each of the players, the transmission and reception unit may communicate a corresponding personal portable terminal 10, may receive information about a game element selected by the player, and may transmit the results of corresponding performance to the corresponding player or all the players.

It will be apparent that in an embodiment, the game board may perform only the function of simply transmitting the board identification information of the game board and the location of a piece T or the type of chip C, recognized by the game board 20, to the personal portable terminal 10.

That is, in an embodiment, the integrated game progress context of the single unit game system 100 may be integrated and computed by the control unit 23 of the game board 20, or may be computed by each of the personal portable terminals in cooperation with the game server 30.

Furthermore, in an embodiment, the control unit 23 may perform the function of matching a piece T to a player. The control unit 23 may match a piece T to the personal portable terminal playing a game by using the corresponding piece T, may register the match, and then may progress a game. When a game is initiated, each player may read a wireless tag, provided in a piece T selected by the player, by using a wireless tag recognition means (an RFID reader, an NFC module, or the like) installed in the personal portable terminal 10, and may transmit the read information to the transmission and reception unit of the game board 20, thereby providing notification of the piece, selected by the player, to the game board 20. In this case, the control unit 23 may register the received information.

Furthermore, the game board according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a path display unit 26. The path display unit 26 displays a path which is visually displayed on the top surface of the game board and through which a piece is moved. In this case, the path display unit 26 may include a plurality of sections that are sequentially arranged. Each piece may be located in a single section at one time. The path display unit 26 may be configured to be simply printed on the top surface of the game board or to include a lighting device.

Meanwhile, in connection, with the plurality of section, included in the path display unit 26, the game board may include a location detection unit 27. The location detection, unit 27 may detect a piece T that is located in one of the plurality of sections included in the path display unit 26.

The location detection unit 27 may include, for example, a plurality of wireless tag recognition means that are provided in respective sections. Accordingly, the recognition means installed in each of the sections may determine the location of the piece T of a player by reading a wireless tag provided in the piece. In this case, a piece located in another section must be prevented from being erroneously detected by designing the range of recognition region of each recognition means so that the range is limited to a considerably small range. Alternatively, a section where a piece T is located may be detected by installing a means for detecting a touch or a weight on the top surface of the path display unit 26 and then detecting the touch pattern or weight of the piece T. Alternatively, the location detection unit 27 may include any type of detection means capable of determining a section where a piece T is located. Furthermore, the location detection unit 27 may recognize the locations of pieces T simply through computation without including respective sensors. The location detection unit 27 may recognize the locations of all pieces T by continuously computing the locations where the pieces T of respective players must be located in game performance sequence based on commands input from the individual personal portable terminals and performance results computed accordingly during a period from the start of a game to the end of the game.

The location of the piece T recognized as described above may be used for the computation of game progress context or results. For example, when the piece of a specific player is recognized as being located in the section “Silicon Valley,” the game board transmits information about the corresponding section to a corresponding personal portable terminal 10, and the player who has received the information may be provided with a menu of options, for example, “venture start,” “venture investment,” etc., and may select one of the options.

In contrast, the control unit 23 of the game board 20 may visually notify a player of the location to which the piece T will be moved by controlling the lighting of a section to which the player needs to be moved based on the results selected by the player who played the game at his or her game play turn.

Furthermore, the game board may include an event recognition unit 28. The event recognition unit 28 may include a wireless tag recognition means, and thus may recognize the wireless tag of a chip C selected by a specific player. Accordingly, the type of selected event may be identified, and may be incorporated into game results. For example, a first player may select a chip C corresponding to event 1, and may notify the event recognition unit 28 of the board or the recognition unit 16 of the selection of the chip C. Accordingly, when an event adapted to increase a profit rate, attributable to the performance of the game by 50%, for the player having selected the chip C during the performance of future three turns has been selected, the game board may store information about the selected, event and the first player, i.e., a target to which the event is applied, and may actually incorporate this information into the calculation of the profits of the first player. Furthermore, information about the calculated profits may be transmitted to all the personal portable terminals 10, and the individual personal portable terminals may receive the results of the progress of the game and display the results of the progress of the game to the players. It will be apparent that specific computation may be performed in the personal portable terminals as described above.

Furthermore, the event recognition unit 28 may recognize a chip C, and may process the chip C so that the chip C is made to be possessed by a neutral institution (for example, a virtual game performance agent, such as the “bank” of a monopoly game or the like), other than a player. As an example, when the total amount of game money is one million won, the event recognition unit 28 installed in the game board may recognize one or more chips C corresponding to one million won's worth of value, and may deduct game money having a value corresponding to an unrecognized part of the chips C when the part of the chips C is not recognized any longer.

As described above, in the embodiment of the present, invention, the information input by each player via his or her personal portable terminal is transferred to the game board 20, and the corresponding results of the progress of a game are applied, to the game performance of all the personal portable terminals 10. That is, the options selected by individual players in a game may be applied to the game in such a way that the board game applications installed on the personal portable terminals and the game program installed on the game board communicate with each other.

Using the above-described configuration, each game player may play a game while becoming aware of the information, provided via his or the board game application executed on his or her personal portable terminal 10, and the context of the game board 20.

When a game starts, each of the players executes the board game application installed on his or her personal portable terminal 10, and sets up a communication connection to the game board 20. Furthermore, the game board is notified of a piece T selected by the player by causing the piece T selected by him or her to be recognized by the personal portable terminal 10.

Thereafter, the individual players sequentially play the game. When each of the players inputs an operation, which needs to be performed at his or her turn, or moves the location of a piece T, this information may be transferred to or recognized by the game board 20. Accordingly, the game board may incorporate the received information to the performance of the game. The results of the incorporation may be transferred back to all the personal portable terminals 10. The application installed on each of the personal portable terminals may perform required computation, and may display the results of the interim performance of the game on a screen.

For example, the game board may assign a game play turn to player No. 1. When input via a personal portable terminal corresponding to the player is completed, the game board may receive information input to the corresponding personal portable terminal 10, and may transfer the information to all the other personal portable terminals 10. Thereafter, the control unit 23 of the game board may notify all the personal portable terminals 10 that a game play turn is assigned to player No. 2. Accordingly, only the application of the personal portable terminal of player No. 2 may enter the state in which the application can perform the game. The game may be performed via the repetition of the above process.

The present invention will be described using a specific example below.

A game system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a game board configured to perform a board game designed to promote economic

For example, variables that cannot be selected by players and can be predicted to some extent may be displayed on the upper end portions of the screens of personal portable terminals 10. For example, macroeconomic indicators, such as interest rate, stock prices, exchange rate, etc., may be provided and vary over time as programmed, and the players may check the variables. These variables may influence the profits of the players who are playing the game.

Furthermore, a path display unit 26 may be visually displayed on the top surface of the game board 20, and pieces T symbolizing the respective players are located thereon. The game board may determine the locations of the pieces T of the respective players and directly compute game progress context, or may transfer information about the locations of the pieces T of the respective players to the personal portable terminals and allow the personal portable terminals to compute game progress context.

Furthermore, for example, elements that may be actively selected by the players may be displayed on the lower ends of the screens of the personal portable terminals 10. The players may select the selling, purchasing, trading, borrowing, lending or the like of specific property, and may refer to the indicators displayed on the upper end portions in this case. The elements selected as described above or the results of computation based on the selected elements may be transferred to the game board or game server 30, and may be used for the computation of overall game progress context.

In this case, a cradle H on which each of the personal portable terminals is seated may be configured along with the game board 20. The cradle H may be designed by taking into account the recognition range of a recognition unit 16 provided in each of the personal portable terminals 10. Accordingly, the recognition unit 16 may identify the type of event, to be applied to the corresponding player, or possessed game money by recognizing one or more chips C that nave been selected or possessed by the player using the corresponding cradle H and that have been accommodated in the cradle H.

Furthermore, as described above, an event corresponding to each chip C selected during the game may be incorporated into the results of the game.

A method of performing a board game based on the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 includes steps that are processed in the game system 100 in a time sequential manner. Accordingly, items that are omitted below but have been described above in conjunction with the game system 100 may be applied to the method of performing a board game.

The method of performing a board game according to the embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in the form of a storage medium including computer-executable instructions, such as a computer-executable program module. The computer-readable medium may be any computer-accessible available medium, and includes all volatile and nonvolatile media and separable and non-separable media. Furthermore, the computer-readable medium may include all computer storage media and communication media. The computer storage medium includes volatile, nonvolatile, separable and non-separable media that are intended to store information, such as computer-readable instructions, a data structure, a program module or another: type of data, and that is implemented using an arbitrary method or technology. The communication medium typically includes computer-readable instructions, a data structure, a program module, or the data of a modulated data signal such as a carrier, or another type of transmission mechanism, and includes any information transfer medium.

Furthermore, the method of performing a board game according to the embodiment of the present invention may be implemented as a computer program (or a computer: program, product) in computer-executable instructions. The computer program includes programmable machine instructions that are processed by a processor, and may be implemented as a high-level programming language, an object-oriented programming language, an assembly language, a machine language, or the like. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored in a tangible computer-readable storage medium (for example, memory, a hard disk, a magnetic/optical medium, a solid-state drive (SSD), or the like).

Accordingly, the method of performing a board game according to the embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in such a way that a computer program, such as that described above, is executed by a computing device. The computing device may include at least part of a processor, memory, a storage device, a high-speed interface accessing the memory and a high-speed expansion, port, and a low-speed interface accessing a low-speed bus and a storage device. These components are connected to each other by using various buses, and may be mounted on a common mother board or using another appropriate method.

In this case, the processor may process instructions in a computing device. These instructions may be instructions that are stored in memory or a storage device and are used to display graphic information adapted to provide a graphic user interface (GUT) to an external input/output device, for example, a display connected to a high-speed interface. As another embodiment, a plurality of processors and/or a plurality of buses may be appropriately used along with a plurality of pieces of memory and memory forms. Furthermore, the processor may be implemented as a chip set including chips including a plurality of independent analog and or digital processors.

Furthermore, the memory stores information in a computing device. As an example, the memory may be composed of a volatile memory unit or a set of volatile memory units. As another example, the memory may be composed of a nonvolatile memory unit or a set of nonvolatile memory units. Furthermore, the memory may be, for example, another type of computer-readable medium, such as a magnetic or optical disk.

Furthermore, the storage device may provide a large-sized storage space to a computing device. The storage device may be a computer-readable medium or a configuration including such a medium. For example, the storage device may include devices included in a storage area network (SAN), or may include another component. The storage device may be a floppy disk device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, a tape device, flash memory, or another semiconductor memory device or device array similar thereto.

The above-described detailed description of the present invention is merely illustrative, and it will be understood by those having ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains that modifications and variations can be easily made without departing from the technical spirit and essential features of the present invention. Therefore, it should be appreciated that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects but are not limitative. For example, each component that is described as being in a single form may be practiced in a distributed form. In the same manner, components that are described as being in a distributed form may be practiced in an integrated form.

The scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims, rather than the detailed description. Furthermore, all modifications and variations derived from the meanings, scope and equivalents of the claims should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention. 

1. A board game system, comprising: one or more pieces configured to correspond to respective game players; a game board configured to display a path through which the pieces move, and to detect a changed location of each of the pieces on the path; and one or more personal portable terminals each configured to check the changed location of the piece detected by the game board while communicating with the game board, and to output information about operations, which will be performed by each of the game players, or options, which can be selected by each of the game players based on a location of one of the pieces corresponding to each of the game players.
 2. The board game system of claim 1, wherein: each of the one or more pieces comprises a wireless tag in which distinct player identification information has been stored; the path comprises a plurality of distinct sections; and the game board detects a location of the piece on the path on a per section basis by recognizing the wireless tag included in the piece.
 3. The board game system of claim 2, wherein each of the personal portable terminals: comprises a recognition unit configured to read player identification information of each of the one or more pieces from the wireless tag included in the piece; and when, the recognition unit has read the player identification information from the wireless tag of the piece, matches the piece corresponding to the read player identification information to a player corresponding to the personal portable terminal.
 4. The board game system of claim 3, wherein each of the personal portable terminals: when information about a changed location, together with player identification information of any one of the pieces, has been received from the game board and player identification information of a piece having the changed location has been determined to be player identification information matched to a player corresponding to one of the personal portable terminals, searches for and outputs information about preset operations or options in accordance with the changed location.
 5. The board game system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more chips each configured to include a wireless tag in which unique chip identification information has been recorded; wherein the game board, when the chip identification information has been read from the wireless tag included in the chip, generates an event, corresponding to the read chip identification information, to a player corresponding to a current game play turn.
 6. The board game system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more chips each comprising a wireless tag in which unique chip identification information has been recorded; wherein the personal portable terminal, when the chip identification information has been read from the wireless tag included in the chip, generates an event, corresponding to the read chip identification information, to a player corresponding to the personal portable terminal.
 7. The board game system of claim 1, further comprising: a game server configured to communicate with the personal portable terminals over a network; wherein each of the personal portable terminals transmits information about a changed location of a corresponding one of the pieces, detected by the game board, and information about an option, selected by a corresponding one of the game players, to the game server.
 8. The board game system of claim 7, wherein: the game board transmits board identification information, stored in the game board, to the personal portable terminals; and the game server sets the plurality of personal portable terminals, having transmitted identical board identification information to the game server in an identical time span, as a single game group, and relays data that is received from the plurality of personal portable terminals belonging to the single game group.
 9. The board game system of claim 2, wherein the game board or the personal portable terminals store information about preset distinct operations or options for each of the sections of the path.
 10. A game board for progressing a board game while communicating one or more personal portable terminals, the game board comprising: a path display unit configured to divide a path of a piece, corresponding to each player who participates in a board game by using a personal portable terminal, into a plurality of successive sections, and to provide the successive sections; a location detection unit configured to detect a location of the piece on the path display unit on a per section basis; and a transmission and reception unit configured to transfer information about the location of the piece, detected by the location detection unit, to the one or more personal portable terminals.
 11. The game board of claim 10, wherein the transmission and reception unit, when a corresponding one of the one or more personal portable terminals selects one of preset options for the location of the piece detected by the location detection unit, receives information about the selected option.
 12. The game board of claim 11, further comprising a control unit configured to compute results of current progress of a game based on information about locations of the pieces detected by the location detection unit and information about, options received from the one or more personal portable terminals.
 13. The game board of claim 12, wherein the control unit, when player identification information recorded in a wireless tag included in one of a plurality of pieces has been received from one of the one or more personal portable terminal, stores a player, corresponding to the personal portable terminal, and the received player identification information with the player, corresponding to the one personal portable terminal, and the received player identification information matched to each other.
 14. The game board of claim 12, wherein the control unit manages one or more variables, to be incorporated into the computation of the results of the current progress of the game, while varying the one or more variables in real time.
 15. A personal portable terminal for performing a board game while communicating with a game board for detecting changing locations of pieces of respectively players, the personal portable terminal comprising: a first communication unit configured to receive information about a location of a piece of a player corresponding to the personal portable terminal from the game board; an interface unit configured to output information about operations, which will be performed by the player, or options, which can be selected by the player, based on the location of the piece of the player corresponding to the personal portable terminal; and a computation unit configured to compute game progress context based on the location of the piece of the player which corresponds to the personal portable terminal, or based on one of the options, provided in accordance with the location of the piece, which is selected via the interface unit.
 16. The personal portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the computation unit manages one or more variables required for computation of the game progress context while varying one or more variables in real time, and uses at least one current value of the managed one or more variables upon computation of the game progress context.
 17. The personal portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the personal portable terminal: further comprises a recognition unit configured to read distinct pieces of chip identification information from one or more chips including wireless tags in which respective pieces of distinct chip identification information have been recorded; and when the recognition unit reads a piece of chip identification information, generates a preset event in accordance with the read chip identification information.
 18. The personal portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the personal portable terminal transfers board identification information to a remote game server over a network when receiving the board identification information from the game board, and receives information about game progress context of another personal portable terminal, set as a member of a single game group by transmitting identical board identification information to the game server, from the game server. 